Botrytis cinerea is a common disease that blights the stems, buds and leaves of Paeonia in the spring. In the early spring young stalks may suddenly wilt and fall over. Young buds turn black and dry up. Larger buds that become infected later in the spring turn brown and become covered with a gray mass of fungal spores. Flowers may fail to open. Usually the stalks below the infected buds and flowers are rotten for short distances below the necks. Large, irregular, dark brown blotches may also appear on the leaves. In severe cases crown and root rot may occur, although these symptoms are not as common as above ground symptoms. In wet weather the diseased parts soon become covered with spores and small black sclerotia may form at the base of infected stalks or in other invaded parts of plants that have fallen to the ground. The fungus overwinters in this sclerotial stage. To control this disease it is important to remove and destroy all infected parts as soon as they appear. In the autumn, all stalks should be cut at ground level or below, removing as much of the stalk as possible without injuring the bud. Several fungicides are effective. Those that contain the a.i. mancozeb can be applied as a soil and foliar drench in early spring and early autumn. Those containing a.i. methyl thiophanate should be applied when the disease first appears and at 10-14 day intervals. The fungicides and recommended application rates need to be consulted. Mary Ann Hansen, Virgina Polytechnic and State University www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/pmg/